Some may have given up dreaming, but not me—and three years later I’m more than happy to say that the patience paid off. Henry & Gerald take their rightful place in the studio and with an apparent love of Welsh mountains unleash Twmpa upon us. It’s the perfect mix and balance of classic Yimino and fresh new ideas that one might not have expected from the pair.
Classic Yimino and fresh new ideas
Like all of you I am sure, I possess a list (of not-inconsiderable size) of artists who I just need to hear more new output from. Living ever in the hope that they will pander to my selfish needs, I have unfortunately accepted that some will not listen to my inner thoughts (Michael & Marcus I’m looking at you…) but there are those that offer glimmers of hope.
One of these pleasurable hints was given back in 2021 when Touched Music offered up a compilation— Yimino Presents. Albeit not new material, ’twas the first outing for the duo since 2016’s Æng and let’s face it—why release a compilation unless something was in the works?
Some may have given up dreaming, but not me—and three years later I’m more than happy to say that the patience paid off. Henry & Gerald take their rightful place in the studio and with an apparent love of Welsh mountains unleash Twmpa upon us. It’s the perfect mix and balance of classic Yimino and fresh new ideas that one might not have expected from the pair.
“Alfarr” is the first example of such unexpectedness, having me checking whether I’ve put on the right release as it smacks of Bent (another duo who I absolutely adore). It perfectly captures the vibe of summer’s end, the contemplation most of us experience as we move into the autumn months and place playfulness behind us. It takes a minute or so, but the essence of Yimino is there and blends smoothly with the calming approach.
Another new perspective is that of “Bellum” which wouldn’t be out of place on a Jon Hopkins interlude. Masterful use of long reverbs allow harmonics to coexist and complement one another in a stretched-out piece of bliss. It’s not the last time that such strong reverberation is put to use either—”Cwm” offers more in the way of Sci-Fi-noir soundscapes and a background darkness that fills you with anxiousness, “Gror” has a granularity about it unique in the space of the album and I can’t not mention the introductory sheep, nor the closing one that follows the bold and assertive “Jacobean Frog Pouch.”
Turning up the energy ::
Really turning up the energy is “Are You My Postman” that not only displays the hallmark of processed and rearranged speech elements, but is a surprising foray into the world of breaks and would sit right at home on any respectful night out. The two-step prevails the whole way through and has me rocking in my chair.
As always there are stand out pieces and one of them is easier to talk about than the other. Uncomplicated to explain is “Moom La” whose complex harmonies and simple yet progressive structure builds into somewhat of a masterpiece, with a remarkable use of thirds to portray sense, suffering and relief in the same song—its conclusion has a finality about it that in some ways should have really come at the end of the release—but we can’t have everything.
More difficult to put into words is “Drey La.” Although appearing only second in the track-listing, I’ve left it until last to write about. I haven’t written anything in quite some time and while reviewing this I suffered the loss of my mother—so much so that while auditioning I initially stopped as I didn’t want to forever associate such a thought-provoking song from a well-anticipated release with such a circumstance. It’s some serious business—disharmonious electronic bells, unsettling clicking beats, a reflective cadence but most powerful of all—a truly opposing movement both in the middle and the end that blows the sky high with emotion.
It was at first an easy decision not to really get into Twmpa until by chance my playlist skipped to the final track “Your Dog Dog Dog,” whose frankly hilarious speech work (you’ll understand) made me realize that maybe I was supposed to associate this album with this time of my life. It started a wave of thought—why should I let slip any given thing I’ve experienced, regardless of its impact on me? And then it struck me that the ability to recall is so often helped along by that which evokes memory and feelings. Thank you Yimino—not only have you satisfied my need for new material but now I don’t have an excuse to forget at all.
Twmpa is available on Touched. [Bandcamp]
